Chapter 35: Compassion

Chapter 35: Compassion

As the man's cold command echoed, the door behind her emitted a grating sound and slowly closed.

Only they remained in the main hall. Ying Shi's eyelids fluttered slightly, and a sense of despair began to spread in her heart.

Kneel down...

Liang Yun's first words were to order her to kneel. Does he know everything?

The window paper behind the girl was pale from the outside light.

Ying Shi, determined, lifted her chin and lightly bit her bloodless lips: "Brother, why are you so upset this early in the morning for no reason..."

She always knew what kind of girl men liked, and she knew that her only asset was her attractive appearance. Ying Shi tried to keep her speech calm and graceful, raising her innocent eyes to show him her most naive and innocent appearance.

Liang Yun, who was usually not talkative, still had no intention of arguing with her. His voice was low and faint: "I wanted you to confess on your own."

Next to the chair by the half-open window, his eyelids were lowered, and a beam of hazy light shone on his drooping eyelashes.

Ying Shi couldn't help but wonder if he was telling the truth or trying to trick her... There couldn't be any loopholes in last night's incident. Even if they really traced it back to her, so what? Many people had contact with Liang Zhi's robe, how could they be sure it was her?

After some thought, Ying Shi steeled herself and continued to be defiant: "Brother, what are you talking about? I don't understand what you mean by confessing..."

Good, a fine 'I don't understand,' indeed.

As soon as she said this, Ying Shi keenly sensed that the aura around the person sitting on the grand master chair instantly turned cold, and a chilling breath rushed towards her.

Liang Yun's gaze shifted from the window to her, and his tone gradually became serious: "Last night, insects attacked people, and several places on Liang Zhi's collar and sleeves were found to have been scented with honey-scented fragrance."

The honey-scented fragrance could drive beasts wild, so the insect chaos last night was no coincidence.

Ying Shi gazed at him innocently: "What honey-scented fragrance?"

Liang Yun originally wanted to give her a chance to confess herself, but seeing her persistent denial, he no longer wanted to continue the conversation and directly said: "What grudge do you hold against my second brother that you'd resort to such a vile method to harm him!"

Ying Shi's eyelids trembled uncontrollably, and she clenched her teeth, still refusing to admit: "I don't know anything about any scent... Brother, you've got me all wrong. If there really was such a thing, it definitely wasn't me! Besides, so many women came last night, why are you suspecting me? I have no grudge against Second Master, why are you blaming me? I won't stand for this!"

Liang Yun kept looking at her coldly, not speaking.

Only after Ying Shi finished speaking did he say: "Henbane and inula flowers, these two ingredients in the honey-scented fragrance are quite rare. Last night, I went to the front courtyard to investigate, and guess what I found?"

Ying Shi's expression instantly became strange, and she forced a smile: "Henbane, I have trouble sleeping, so I use a bit. Is that suspicious? Who knows who came into contact with Second Master at the banquet yesterday? I just saw that there were no maids to help, so I took it over for him. There were many people who could have interfered along the way. Brother, instead of pointing fingers at me, why not look into who Second Master was with that day..."

Liang Yun originally didn't know the reason why she drugged Liang Zhi, but now he could guess a bit from her words. His brows slowly furrowed into a hill, and he scolded: "Even now, you still want to deny and drag others into this? It seems this is your usual tactic. Last time, you set up the maids in Third Brother's courtyard by sending incense, and now you're addicted to it?"

Ying Shi felt as if all the blood in her body was flowing backward.

But Liang Yun wasn't finished: "And the matter of escorting the spirit in Hengzhou, I personally ordered it to be kept secret. Who was it that spread the news and let mother know? You used this to sow discord between mother and grandmother. You and mother have clashed many times, and I only thought you were young and didn't know better. You've done many things before, and I turned a blind eye, never saying a word to you..."

Liang Yun, who was usually expressionless, rarely showed such disappointment and coldness as he did today: "But you play petty tricks, pushing your luck time and again."

He said coldly, word by word: "Now you even came up with such a sinister method. A small amount of inula can cause fainting and shock. How dare you use it on my second brother? It seems that in your eyes—everything is at your whim? Human life means so little to you?"

Ying Shi never expected that all her schemes, all her self-satisfaction after success, had long been known clearly by Liang Yun?

All her hidden thoughts were exposed with a single sentence.

In that instant, Ying Shi's pupils narrowed sharply.

She clutched her chest, her heart turning to ice.

How did he know?

A person needs dignity, a tree needs its bark, and now Ying Shi had lost both due to his words. In her panic and fury, she nearly fainted.

But if she fainted now, what would become of her?

Liang Yun's words were so cold and ruthless; he would surely not help her anymore, and might even turn around and tell everything to the old lady and Liang Zhi...

What would her fate be then?

Ying Shi dared not think about it. She forced herself to calm down, but her blood ran cold.

In an instant, a thousand thoughts raced through her mind. Ying Shi's eyes reddened. Hadn't he just ordered her to kneel...

If it pleased him, she would kneel...

Ying Shi slowly knelt on the cushion before Liang Yun, tears springing to her eyes.

The girl at the foot of the hall, tears brimming in her eyes, pleaded, "Brother, please forgive me this once. I only saw Second Master with a woman, and I feared it would cause unrest in the household... I didn't know anything about poison, I only knew that mosquitoes usually like this scent..."

Her reasoning was utterly flawed.

But her eyes were red, brimming with tears, presenting a pitiful image of genuine remorse.

In the past, Liang Yun might have relented at her tears. But today, he was not inclined to let it go lightly.

Her nature was fickle, she liked to play clever tricks. This time it was just some harmless incense, but if she continued to be indulged—would she resort to poisoning anyone who crossed her in the future?

Liang Yun gazed at her coldly, silent for a long time.

Only when her sobs subsided did he say, "I will not tolerate this. You must go to Second Master and apologize..."

Seeing that he was still unmoved by her tears, Ying Shi could only sob harder and plead, "Brother, can't you forgive me this once? If Grandmother finds out I disrupted her birthday celebration, she might come to hate me..."

The girl was in the prime of her youth, exquisitely beautiful, her eyes red, her brows drooping, pitiful yet adding a touch of allure in the dim room.

Liang Yun had made up his mind and would not be swayed by her pleas or her pitiful act.

He didn't even glance at her endearing appearance.

Liang Yun stood up, brushing his sleeves as he prepared to leave, "Now you know to cry, but didn't think of the consequences earlier? No one can help you. If you confess to Grandmother, she might show you mercy."

Before he could finish, Ying Shi clung desperately to his leg.

"No! You can't leave..."

"What are you doing? Let go at once!" Liang Yun, feeling the girl's soft body pressed against his leg, was immediately incensed and scolded loudly.

"I won't accept this! Why should I? I have my own grievances, can't you just hear me out..." she shouted, her voice far louder than his, but she couldn't come up with a reasonable explanation.

Liang Yun's tone was terrifyingly cold, "You still want to make excuses and shift blame? Who taught you to be so unreasonable! Madam Ruan, you have greatly disappointed me!"

Perhaps some word of Liang Yun's stung her, as Ying Shi's sobs paused. Realizing that Liang Yun was not moved by her pleas, she gradually stopped crying and let go of his leg.

She murmured in retort, "Brother scolds me, but what right does Brother have to scold me?"

"You..."

"Brother, everyone knows your noble character, your uprightness and integrity. But your excellence is only because you’ve had great scholars and masters teaching you since childhood, been loved by many, and never had to handle dirty work. But what about me? Who has ever taught me anything? Of course, I am not like you..."

Liang Yun frowned, thinking she was being unreasonable: "What’s the difference... You’re still making excuses even now!"

Ying Shi sniffled: "Of course, it’s different. You’re a man. From the moment you were born, your grandfather groomed you as the heir, placing high hopes on you. Your father loved you dearly, taking you with him to protect you from your stepmother’s bullying. You also have a grandmother who adores you, treating you like the apple of her eye. Even if the lady is harsh to others, no one dares to cross you... Brother, look, everyone adores you. Like yesterday’s birthday banquet, when you didn’t show up, no one even touched their chopsticks..."

The anger on Liang Yun’s face gradually faded, and he fell silent.

Ying Shi continued: "How could you understand me... My parents died so young. The court honored my father and mother, but what good did it do? Pingzhou fell to the Xu bandits, and my parents’ bodies were never recovered. They’re so far gone, I can’t even reach them. I’ve been living under someone else’s roof since I was a kid, every day walking on eggshells, trembling with fear. I learned to read people’s faces from a young age, terrified they’d see me as a burden and cast me aside..."

"I thought marrying Liang Ji would be my only salvation, that I could finally escape my miserable childhood. But look, even that tiny bit of warmth is gone..."

Ying Shi often thought she was completely wrong.

Placing all her hopes on a man was indeed a complete mistake.

But did she have any other way?

In her past life, there was only Liang Ji.

"You always say I’m like your sister, but how could they possibly be like me? They have a father, a mother, family they can lean on... But what do I have?"

"I have no parents, no family... I have no children, I’m doomed to be alone for the rest of my life. I don’t understand why, even though I’ve done nothing wrong, even though I’m a good person, heaven treats me like this? Leaving me orphaned as a child, without a husband as an adult, and unable to have my own children. Is it really fate? Otherwise, why have I done nothing wrong, yet ended up like this..."

Ying Shi’s voice was hoarse, murmuring: "I am just afraid, I just want to live with a little dignity, not to live in fear every day. Brother says I have a bad nature, full of lies, but I also want to be like you, pure and noble, who will give me this chance..."

Ying Shi’s emotions were intense at first, but after saying all this, she felt nothing.

It turns out, when people recount their experiences, they become like outsiders.

Her voice was calm, the more she spoke, the more composed she became, unlike herself.

Ying Shi said a lot, but Liang Yun didn’t say a word.

He was silent.

...

Outside the window, the sky brightened, the morning glow tinged with a beautiful pink halo.

Liang Yun, at some point, had turned to face the window, his back to her.

The fine wind from outside blew into the man’s wide sleeves, making them flutter. His long eyes slightly lowered, facing the light from the window, Ying Shi saw a faint glimmer on his dark eyelashes.

Ying Shi stared for a while, somewhat incredulous.

This serious, reserved man... could he actually be crying?